Pigs reveal secrets: New research shines light on Quebec industry

News

Published: 4Nov2010

Which are the best pieces of pork, what their texture is, how moist they are – the secrets pigs keep from even the most skilled butchers – are about to be revealed, thanks to a sophisticated new technique that has been developed by McGill University researchers in conjunction with Agriculture Canada and the pork industry.

Which are the best pieces of pork, what their texture is, how
moist they are – the secrets pigs keep from even the most skilled
butchers – are about to be revealed, thanks to a sophisticated new
technique that has been developed by McGill University researchers
in conjunction with Agriculture Canada and the pork industry. “This
is about giving industry workers better tools to do their job,”
explained Dr. Michael Ngadi of McGill’s Department of Bioresource
Engineering. “Computer-aided analysis of meat will result in
higher-quality jobs, optimal production, and exports that fit more
closely with the target markets.”

The technology involves spectroscopy, a technique based on the
analysis of the wavelengths of visible and invisible light produced
by matter. By measuring the wavelengths of reflected light that
pork cuts release, the researchers discovered they could easily
determine the colour, texture and exudation (water release) of the
meat. The technique is revolutionary, as previous laboratory
techniques had involved destroying the testing sample. “The
technique enables production workers to conduct objective and
scientific analysis of the meat very quickly on the production
line,” Dr. Ngadi said. It means the meat can be more accurately
sorted according to the quality demanded by different export
markets.

The research is not far from leaving the laboratory and entering
factories, according to Dr. Ngadi. “We are currently looking for
partners who will work with us to build a ready-to-use device for a
commercial production line,” he said. The researchers are also
looking to extend the technique for the evaluation of other aspects
of meat quality, such as marbling and fat content.

This study was part of a project supported by funding from the
Natural Science and Engineering Council of Canada and le Fonds
québécois de la recherche sur la nature et les technologies.